Curtain rod assembly

ABSTRACT

A curtain rod assembly includes a longitudinally adjustable retaining member the length of which can be changed to fit the width between parallel spaced apart side members of windows of different sizes. The retaining member has tubular parts that are telescopically assembled to one another and a bracket at each end thereof. The brackets have a first portion that extends radially outward of the retaining member and a second portion that extends axially to support a curtain rod above the window with the outer ends spaced apart wider than the window frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The task of installing curtain rods frequently falls to those with very little experience using tools such as screw drivers, hammers, and the like. It is not uncommon for the inexperienced person to call in the assistance of a professional technician to install the necessary hardware required to support a curtain. Where the window is not large in size, the inexperienced installer may find the minimum fees charged by experienced technicians to be prohibitive, and therefore there is a need for window curtain hardware suitable for retaining a curtain and rod that can be easily installed to decorate a relatively small window surrounded by a typical window frame. The device could also be used to form a canopy for a bed, a shower tub enclosure, a room divider, or over a passageway.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, the invention is embodied in a curtain rod assembly for supporting a curtain rod, the assembly being attachable between parallel spaced apart vertically oriented generally planar inner frame members for a frame surrounding a window. Such windows and their surrounding frames are manufactured in numerous sizes such that windows are available with many different inner dimensions between the parallel generally planar vertical frame members. To accommodate windows of different widths, the invention includes a longitudinally adjustable retainer member having a first end positionable against a first planar vertical frame member and a second end positionable against the opposing parallel second planar frame member of either a first window in which the vertical planar frame members are spaced apart a first given distance, and a second window in which the vertical parallel frame members are spaced apart a second given distance. The device further includes some means for retaining the first end of the retaining member against the first vertical frame member and the second end against the second vertical frame member. The means for retaining may be in the form of a compressible spring embedded within the elongate retaining member for applying compressive force against the surfaces of the first and second vertical parallel window frame members to thereby maintain the retaining member in a desired position. Alternately, the retaining member may include first and second telescopic portions which are threadedly engaged with one another such that rotation of a first member with respect to a second member will urge the first and second ends of the retaining member longitudinally apart from one another thereby compressing the first and second ends against the first and second vertical frame members. In yet a third embodiment, a retaining device such as a loop and hook type retainer of the type generally sold under the trademark VELCRO may be used with one element of the loop and hook retainer attached to the ends of the retaining member and the second portion of the hook and loop retainer secured by an adhesive or the like to the surfaces of the parallel vertical window frame members.

Attached near the first end of the retaining member is an inner end of a first bracket, and attached adjacent the second end of the retaining member is an inner end of a second bracket. The first and second brackets are retained non-rotatably to the ends of the retaining member and extending between the outer ends of the brackets is a curtain rod for retaining a curtain across the window. To permit the curtain rod to extend beyond the width of the window frame, the brackets include a horizontally outwardly extending portion such that the outer ends thereof are spaced apart a distance that is greater than the width of the window frame. Similarly, to insure that the curtain extends over the upper end of the window frame, the brackets include a portion that extends vertically a distance sufficient to retain the curtain rod above the upper edge of the window frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the invention will be had after a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a window and window frame fitted with a curtain rod assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a front elevational view of a second window and frame having a width dimension different from that of the window shown in FIG. 1, the second window and frame also fitted with the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the window and frame taken through line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the curtain rod assembly attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the retaining member for the assembly shown in FIG. 1 and fragments of the bracket attached to each end thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a retaining member in accordance with the invention being retained between the parallel side members of a window by means of another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2, the present invention is a curtain rod assembly 10 for use to retain a curtain, not shown, across the surfaces of a window 12 and a window frame 14. As seen from within a building, the window frame 14 includes a windowsill 16, a pair of vertical generally co-planar decorative side members 18, 20, a top member 22 and planar, parallel spaced apart vertical inner window frame members 24, 26.

Positioned between the upper ends of the inner window frame members 24, 26 is an elongate retaining member 28 having a first end 30 and a second end 32. In its preferred embodiment, the retaining member 28 is longitudinally adjustable such that the distance between the first end 30 and second end 32 may be adjusted to fit within the given distance D1 between the frame members 24, 26 of window frame 14, or between frame members of a second window 27 having different dimensions and a different given distance D2 between the inner window frame members.

Referring to FIG. 3, the retaining member 28 includes a first tubular member 34 one end of which is the first end 30 of retaining member 28, and telescopically received within the tubular first member 34 is a second tubular member 36, one end of which is the second end 32 of the retaining member 28. An adjustment device 38 is provided for longitudinally adjusting the first tubular member 34 with respect to the second tubular member 36. The adjustment device 34 may be in the form of a coil spring having a first end rigidly secured to the second end 32 of the second tubular member 36 and extends through the central opening of the second tubular member 36. The coil spring 38 has an outer diameter that is a little smaller than the inner diameter of the first tubular member 34 such that the first tubular member 34 will surround the coil spring 38 as the parts are telescopically assembled to one another. A crimp in the wall of the first tubular member 34 forms a radially inwardly extending projection 40 sized and shaped to fit between two successive turns of the coil spring 38 to thereby limit longitudinal movement of the first tubular member 34 with respect to the second tubular member 36. The spacings between the outer ends 30, 32 of the retaining member 28 can be changed by rotating the first tubular member 34 with respect to the second member 36 causing the projection 40 to be screwed axially inwardly or axially outwardly along the coil spring 38 to thereby retract or extend the overall length of the retaining member 28. In this embodiment, the retaining member 28 can be longitudinally adjusted so that the overall length 42 of the retaining member 28 is a little longer than the given distance D1 between the first and second inner window frame member 24, 26 while the coil spring 38 is in its unstressed condition. Thereafter, the first and second ends 30, 32 of the retaining member 28 can be compressed against one another thereby compressing the coil spring 38 until the overall length of the retaining member is less than the given distance D1 thereby permitting the retaining member 28 to be fit between the inner window frame members 24, 26. Once inserted between the inner window frame members 34, 36 the compressed coil spring 38 will urge the first and second end members 30, 32 axially outwardly against the surfaces of the inner window frame members 24, 26 and thereby retain the retaining member 28 in its desired location, which is preferably parallel to and immediately below the upper frame member 22.

As shown in FIG. 1A, by axially adjusting the length of the retaining member 28 the same retaining member 28 can be used to support the curtain rod assembly 10 to a second window frame 43 having a somewhat different given distance D2 between its parallel spaced apart vertical frame members 44, 45. It should be appreciated that an elongate compressible member having a first and a second tubular portion such as portions 34 and 36 telescopically assembled to one another and longitudinally adjustable by means of a spring, such as spring 38, and a projection 40 are well known in the prior art, however, such compressible members have not been used to support curtain rod assemblies until the advent of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the device further includes a first elongate bracket 46 having a first end non-rotatably secured to the first end 30 of the first retaining member 34, the parts retained together by any suitable means such as solder or braised binding material 48, or by a mechanical structure, not shown. In similar fashion, a second bracket 50 has a first end non-rotatably attached adjacent the second end 32 of the second retaining member 36.

The first and second brackets 46, 50 have a first component 52, 53 that extends generally radially outwardly of the respective first and second tubular members 34, 36 and a second component 56, 57 that extends angularly with respect to the axes of the retaining member 28. The angle 62 of the second component 56, 57 with respect to a plane through the first component (52, 53 respectively) and the axis of the retaining member 28 being between thirty degrees and sixty degrees such that the outer ends 60, 61 of the brackets 46, 50 respectively are axially spaced apart a distance that is greater than the given distance D1 of the parallel side members 18, 20 of the window frame 14 and are positioned above the upper edge of the upper frame member 22. As best seen in FIG. 2, the outer ends 60, 61 (only one of which, 61, is visible in FIG. 2) each has a notch (unnumbered) 64 therein for receiving a generally cylindrical curtain rod 66. A curtain, not shown, of the type well known in the art can then be retained to the curtain rod 66 to decorate the window 12 and frame 14. Where the outer dimensions of the window 12 and frame 14 are not overly large, the weight of the curtain and the curtain rod assembly 10 will not be so great as to cause the first end 30 and second end 32 to be turned from their original orientation with respect to the inner window frame members 24, 26. It should be appreciated that any type of adjustable length tension rod may be used with the invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, in yet another embodiment, the distal ends of the retaining feet 92, 93 of a retaining member 94 may be retained against surfaces of parallel window members 96, 97 by use of a hook and loop type connector of the type sold under the trademark VELCRO. In this embodiment, one portion 99 of the hook and loop type connector is applied against each of the planar distal end feet 92, 93 of a retaining member and the second portion 100 of the hook and loop connector is retained by an adhesive to the planar window members 96, 97. When the retaining member 94 is thereafter assembled between the parallel inner window frame members 96, 97 with the portion 99 of the hook and loop type connectors applied to the portion 100 on the window frame members 96, 97, retaining member 94 will be retained in its desired location and will not rotate when a curtain rod 66 and curtain are retained between the brackets thereof.

While the present invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore the intent of the appended claims to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A curtain rod assembly for supporting a curtain, said curtain rod assembly being attachable between first and second parallel inner window frame members that are spaced apart a given distance, said curtain rod assembly comprising an elongate retaining member having a first end positionable against said first inner window frame member and a second end positionable against said second inner window frame member, said retaining member being longitudinally adjustable for changing a length thereof to fit between said first and said second inner window frame members with said first end against said first inner window frame member and said second end against said second inner window frame member, means for retaining said first end against said first end member and said second end against said second end member, a first bracket having a first end adjacent said first end of said retaining member and a second end retaining a first end of a curtain rod, a second bracket having a first end adjacent said second end of said retaining member and a second end retaining a second end of said curtain rod, and said second end of said first bracket spaced from said second end of said second bracket a distance greater than said given distance wherein said curtain rod has a length greater than said given distance.
 2. The curtain rod assembly of claim 1 wherein said curtain rod is longitudinally adjustable wherein said length of said retaining member and a length of said curtain rod are changeable to fit a window having inner window frame members spaced apart a distance different than said given distance.
 3. The curtain rod assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining is a coil spring.
 4. The curtain rod assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining includes a male threaded member and a female threaded member.
 5. The curtain rod assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining includes a hook and loop type connector.
 6. A curtain rod assembly for supporting a curtain, said curtain rod assembly being attachable between first and second parallel inner window frame members of a first window that are spaced apart a first given distance D1 and also attachable between first and second parallel inner window frame members of a second window spaced apart a second given distance D2, said distance D1 being unequal to distance D2, said curtain rod assembly comprising an elongate retaining member having a first end and a second end, said retaining member being longitudinally adjustable for changing a length thereof to fit between said first and said second inner window frame members of said first window with said first end against said first inner window frame member thereof and said second end against said second window frame member thereof, and fit between said first and said inner window frame members of said second window with said first end against said first inner window frame member thereof and said second end against said second inner window frame member thereof, a first bracket having a first end adjacent said first end of said retaining member and a second end retaining a first end of a curtain rod, and a second bracket having a first end adjacent said second end of said retaining member and a second end retaining a second end of said curtain rod.
 7. The curtain rod assembly of claim 6 wherein said retaining member includes a coil spring for urging said first and second ends thereof axially outward.
 8. The curtain rod assembly of claim 6 wherein said retaining member includes a tubular elongate first member into which a second elongate member is telescopically received, said first tubular member rotatable with respect to said second member, and a spiral member within said first tubular member wherein rotation of said first member with respect to said second member changes a length of said retaining member.
 9. The curtain road of claim 8 wherein said spherical member is a coil spring.
 10. A curtain rod assembly for supporting a curtain, said curtain rod assembly being attachable between first and second parallel inner window frame members that are spaced apart a given distance, said curtain rod assembly comprising an elongate retaining member having a first end positionable against said first inner window frame member and a second end positionable against said second inner window frame member, said retaining member being longitudinally adjustable for applying an axially oriented force against said first and said second inner window frame members wherein said retaining member is non-rotatably retained between said first and second inner window frame members, a first bracket having a first end adjacent said first end of said retaining member and a second end retaining a first end of a curtain rod, and a second bracket having a first end adjacent said second end of said retaining member and a second end retaining a second end of said curtain rod.
 11. The curtain rod assembly of claim 10 wherein said retaining member includes a coil spring for urging said first and second ends thereof axially outward.
 12. The curtain rod assembly of claim 10 wherein said retaining member includes a tubular elongate first member into which a second elongate member is telescopically received, said first tubular member rotatable with respect to said second member, and a spiral member within said first tubular member wherein rotation of said first member with respect to said second member changes a length of said retaining member.
 13. The curtain road of claim 10 wherein said spherical member is a coil spring.
 14. The curtain rod assembly of claim 10 wherein a second end of said first bracket is spaced a distance from said second end of said second bracket that is greater than said given distance. 